West Penn Township Police Chief Brian Johnson isn't half the man he used to be, but it's close.

Johnson's wakeup call came during his annual checkup, April 2012."I stepped on the scale and couldn't believe that the number went over 330 pounds," Johnson said. "I knew I had to do something."Before he stepped from the scale, Johnson made a resolution to lose weight. Losing weight is one of the top three resolutions many of us make each new year; the other two are Stop Smoking and Exercise More.According to statistics, about half of us make those New Year's resolutions, but by February we are backsliding. Today, Johnson has a regular exercise schedule, has lost about 80 pounds and quit a two-pack-a-day smoking habit.How to succeedwith resolutionsHow did he do it? And how can we make 2014 the year we succeed?Ray Williams, a blogger for Psychology Today, said that improving the body starts with the proper mindset."Make the goal a small one over a shorter time period, for example, lose 10 pounds in 3 months rather than 100 pounds in a year," he advised. "Or something even shorter, such as no sugar or bread today."Long-term goals are fine, but people should have a way to measure progress on the way to those goals. Focus on today, compared to yesterday or last week, Williams said, and keep a written record."Keep track of your progress in a journal on a daily basis, and review the journal once a week," Williams said. "Visualize in your mind a picture of what the ideal outcome you want is, and revisit that image daily; rejoice and celebrate any progress, no matter how small."Be patient, saysYMCA executiveNick Zigmant, branch executive for the Tamaqua YMCA, said that one reason people fail at their resolutions is that they don't see results as quickly as they would like."You really have to be dedicated to your goals in order to succeed and not get stuck in a failed resolution," Zigmant said. "You aren't going to get the results right away, so make smaller goals for yourself and stick with your plan."Johnson tracked his progress using an App called My Fitness Pal. Once the user sets up an account, it's easy to keep track of calorie intake, he said."If you follow that faithfully, you will lose weight," Johnson said. "Once you do it for a while, you'll learn what you can eat and how to eat in moderation."Both Williams and Johnson said that efforts to lose weight will be much more successful if combined with an exercise program. Johnson and a couple friends chipped in with various workout equipment and put a small gym together.Don't let winterruin your goalsThe weather challenges of the winter months can wreak havoc on outdoor exercise, which makes joining a gym a great option. Merritt and Jeanine Jacob, New Ringgold, have been members of the Tamaqua YMCA since it opened."We think this is a great place and we really support it," Merritt said, as he stepped from an elliptical training machine, drenched in sweat. "I work out every other day, for about 40 minutes.""I've read that if you do something more than 25 times, it becomes a habit," he added. "For us being around all the people makes it more fun."Another YMCA patron, Chris Lech, Tamaqua, is getting back in shape after an injury."Start slow and work your way up," advised Lech, as he and his dad, Larry Lech, used various weight machines. "Go day by day, and don't get discouraged."Help is availableto stop smokingIn cooperation with St. Luke's Hospital, Coaldale, the Tamaqua YMCA is also hosting a series of health talks (check the website, www.YMCA-Berkscounty. org). One of the topics will be Smoking Cessation.Johnson quit smoking on Black Friday, stopping cold turkey."I was really sick for about three days, I guess going through nicotine withdrawal," he said. "But I had made up my mind, that's my last one."Although it worked for Johnson, stopping cold turkey is not one of the best methods to use. In fact, only 2 percent of the people who quit smoking using the "cold turkey" method are successful, according to Merry Casey, Treatment and Coalition Coordinator, Tobacco Free Northeast PA. For a list of tobacco treatment providers, check

www.tobaccofreene.com and click on Quit Now, or call 1-800-QUITNOW."People often times fail in their desire to quit smoking because it is far more complicated than most realize," Casey said. "Smoking, any tobacco use, is much more than the commonly recognized dirty habit - it is an addiction to nicotine."Three parts ofnicotine addictionNicotine addiction has three parts, physiological, psychological and social. All three of these areas must be considered through counseling, quit aids (medication) and behavior change for a successful quit attempt, Casey said.She also explained the "quit aids" that are available."There are currently five FDA-approved quit aids (medications) to be used in conjunction with a bona fide quit attempt," Casey said. "The first three listed are available over the counter, nicotine patch, nicotine gum and nicotine lozenge; the remaining two, nicotine inhaler and nicotine nasal spray require a prescription.""It is a personal choice as to what quit aid (medication) someone wants to use to help them with cravings, but the quitter should be encouraged to use the product they feel they'd be most comfortable with and the one that best suits their lifestyle," Casey added. "The most important thing to know is that if the person does counseling and medication together, it doubles their chance of quitting!"People who take the first step towards quitting have already shown that they are motivated, and want to improve their health, well-being and lifestyle, Casey said. The challenge is to maintain that New Year's motivation and resolution throughout the year.Journey startswith single stepIt's said that the longest journey starts with a single step, and for Johnson, that first step was the one he took stepping down from the scale in his doctor's office. The next steps were the hardest, but if you stick with a program you'll soon feel the rewards, he said."Once you start changing your diet and exercising, you'll be surprised to find out that you don't get tired as quickly," Johnson said. "It won't take long before you have much more energy to do things, and start to realize how much better you feel."